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    South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-1917
    South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-1917
    South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-1917
    Audiobook14 hours

    South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-1917

    Written by Ernest Shackleton

    Narrated by Steven Crossley

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    As war clouds darkened over Europe in 1914, a party led by Sir Ernest Shackleton set out to make the first crossing of the entire Antarctic continent via the Pole. But their initial optimism was short-lived as ice floes closed around their ship, gradually crushing it and marooning twenty-eight men on the polar ice. Alone in the world's most unforgiving environment, Shackleton and his team began a brutal quest for survival. And as the story of their journey across treacherous seas and a wilderness of glaciers and snow fields unfolds, the scale of their courage and heroism becomes movingly clear.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMar 31, 2011
    ISBN9781452671352
    Author

    Ernest Shackleton

    Sir Ernest Shackleton was born in Ireland in February 1874. He led three expeditions to the Antarctic, most notably the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. He intended to return to Antarctica in January 1921, but died of a heart attack whilst his ship was moored in South Georgia. At his wife's request, his body was buried there.

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    Reviews for South

    4.5/5

    28 ratings16 reviews

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    • 5/5
      As war broke out in Europe in August 1914, Ernest Shackleton led a daring expedition south to Antarctica. The expedition's goal was to cross Antarctica from one side to other, via the South Pole. This book is his personal account of three years' struggle. Shackleton's writing, whilst not especially poetic, is deeply engaging. I read the whole book in slightly longer than a day, drawn in by images of frozen seas, men living on drifting ice floes for months at a time, and the many challenges of finding food (and not becoming a whale's lunch) in such a harsh environment. I was particularly struck by their absolute isolation; at a time when war was ravaging Europe, the expedition members had no idea what was happening back home for extended periods of time. The book also provides excellent perspective on how nature can so easily hinder the most ambitious of human endeavours. Shackleton is a humble narrator, who makes no attempt to glorify his own actions and presents an intriguing story of adventure, survival, and blubber. He has utterly won me over - except, perhaps, regarding the merits of eating penguin.
    • 4/5
      A personal account of Shackletons doomed trip to the South Pole and his heroic return from almost certain oblivion. Well written, crisp, and eye-opening.
    • 3/5
      A little tedious at times but an amazing account of the men who survived after their ship was crushed by ice and sunk in an Antarctic expedition. How only 3 men of 56 died is nothing short of astounding and Shackleton's leadership was a huge reason why the vast majority survived months of privation and horrendous conditions.
    • 5/5
      An absolutely riveting story of incredibly resourceful, heroic and courageous men. The privations were mind boggling in this most inhospitable corner of the world. Even then Shackleton was concerned about extinction of humpback whales. Shackleton was so amazingly knowledgeable about a diverse number of relevant subjects; weather, geography, geology, oceanography (especially in regards to sea ice - naturally) and sociology.

      Lay in a supply of casseroles and get somebody else to ferry the kids back and forth to school for a few days because when you pick this book up you won't be able to put it down until you're done.
    • 5/5
      The greatest adventure story ever, by one of the greatest leaders ever.
    • 5/5
      Amazing story of leadership, determination, duty and ability.
    • 4/5
      One of the bravest stories ever told...
    • 5/5
      This classic needs little introduction, being among the top three most famous accounts of the golden age of polar exploration (the other two Worst Journey and Scott's journals). Unlike most books about polar misadventures this has a happy ending and remains optimistic throughout. I am impressed by the clarity of the writing, Shackleton is not a poet but has an eye for detail and respect for the reader. It has a symmetry mirroring the circular route. I listened to the audiobook performance by Rupert Degas. A remarkable interpretation where the sum is greater than the parts. There are still actors around able to perform in-period so we can hear the words as they were meant to spoken, not unlike the skills of a Shakespearean actor. Hurrah.
    • 4/5
      The story of Sir Ernest Shackleton's eventful journey across the south pole, told from his perspective and then from the perspectives of some of the other groups that were stationed at different parts of the Antarctic and also the ships. Interesting and at times harrowing.
    • 5/5
      Fascinating and very dramatic.
    • 5/5
      I read this casually, a little at a time. It's one of the great adventure stories of all time, and smashing stuff (get it?) but...here's how it works: it's based on the journals of Shackleton and everyone else in his party - he gives others lots of time too - and the entries can be a little repetitious. Like, y'know, "Still stuck on an iceberg. Cold and hungry."

      Shackleton's a surprisingly good writer, though. Clear, engaging and often funny. That livens up the doldrum periods - but also, the effect of the long passages in which nothing dramatic happens is that when something does happen, it happens with extraordinary, direct impact. His account of - minor spoiler, I guess? - the final destruction of the Endurance is just crushing. An incredibly powerful moment. The immediacy of the epistolaryish format, with its you-are-here feel, makes the big moments of the expedition directly heartbreaking.

      After his account of the main expedition, he starts completely over with what happened with the other boat, the Aurora. (You will have forgotten they exist by this time.) This is a tough one; it's just as compelling a story - they actually had it worse, if you can believe that, and again it's based on journals so it has that you're-right-there! feel to it, but there's no avoiding the fact that, having slogged all the way through Shackleton's brutal story, you groan a little when you realize you're about to start over.

      I guess I'd suggest laying it aside and picking it up later for this part. It is much shorter, at least. And it's much shorter even than it looks, because after the story of the Aurora's landing party (again, this really is great stuff on its own), Shackleton backtracks again, to the people who stayed on the Aurora, and that part is utterly skippable. Nothing whatsoever happens. I read it so you don't have to. Just stop there.
    • 4/5
      Compelling true story about Antarctic expedition in 1914.
    • 4/5
      Shackleton's 'Endurance' expedition is without question one of the most amazing and compelling adventure stories of all time. It is a true testament to the power of leadership and the ability of men to persevere in the face of incredible odds and prolonged suffering. That said, Shackleton's account of the expedition is probably the least interesting of all of the accounts that I've yet read. It suffers from typical old-fashioned British understatement, and as a result, episodes that were in fact dramatic and harrowing come across as rather routine and unremarkable. Some might extol the virtues of such humility in prose, but those looking for an entertaining read would be well off to read another author's account of the expedition. A truly great leader of men was Shackleton, but as an author, I believe he left something to be desired. Try Caroline Alexander's or Alfred Lansing's accounts of the Endurance expedition first, and then if you want to hear his own account, read Shackleton's afterwards. In summary, an incredible story, but very dry prose.
    • 5/5
      Quite simply awesome. And I don't use the word lightly, considering it is very much an overused word. Ernest Shackleton was a hero not only because of what he endured, but because of how he led. As opposed to Robert Scott who made a series of errors (as well as experiencing some genuine bad luck with inclement weather) culminating in disaster in 1912, Shackleton's primary concern above all aspects of his mission were the men under his command. In 1908 - on his earlier 'farthest south' expedition, he turned himself and his men around when within reach of the elusive Pole. He had realised that due to depleted rations and muscles, in the face of extremely adverse weather, if they attained their stated aim of the Pole, they would not return alive. As it was, he had to be hauled on a sledge for the last slog by his two exhausted team-mates, as he was too weakened to carry on unaided...This book tells the almost incredible tale of how his 1914 expedition failed early in its stated aims, but ultimately triumphed against a series of truly fearsome circumstances in the most inhospitable place on earth. Survival on the ice after the crushing destruction of their ship the Endurance, followed by the break-up of the ice and the harrowing escape over the ice floes into the open waters on board the Endurance's 3 lifeboats until the sanctuary of the bleak Elephant Island. Here is where the story begins anew as 'Uncle' Shackleton and 5 men depart for help leaving behind the remaining expedition team on the remote barren island with a protective shelter of 2 upturned lifeboats and a veneer of sealskins, and a diet consisting of pemmican hoosh, ship biscuit, seal blubber and seal meat when that could be hunted...If all this hadn't been enough, the rescue party then attempts the crossing of the extreme South Atlantic (acknowledged as arguably the most treacherous open sea on the planet) in the remainng lifeboat - the James Caird. All the while Shackleton keeps his men going with his leadership skills and navigational expertise. His fellow rescue party undoubtedly play their part too in performing this miracle of marine adventure. Several hundred miles away their destination - South Georgia - is found. The journey is not yet over though as Shackleton and 2 others must traverse the unmapped mountainous spine of the island to the relative 'civilisation' of the remote whaling station at Grytviken. This final task proves almost the most dangerous...The fact that Shackleton's team makes it to safety and in turn returns to Elephant Island to rescue the stranded expedition (by now clearly on the verge of madness and possible cannibalism) - without a single lost soul speaks volumes for his leadership capabilities and also for this generation's incredible resilience in the face of adversity in what Shackleton called 'the White War'. The tale is all the more powerful in the knowledge that many of the brave men on return to a Europe at war in 1916 must tragically go to battle again, and that so many fall in those foreign fields.One of the most inspiring and exhillirating books you will ever read.
    • 5/5
      A tale where I kept going, "What?!" Amazing fortitude exhibited by all, though hints of cracking here and there.A thing which struck me while reading was when Shackleton referred to people by name and when he did not. By his account, the carpenter was probably one of the most essential team members but is rarely referred to by name, just "the carpenter." Other British classisms appear here and there.The appendix on whaling counts was horrifying, the collapse of the humpback population being captured in real time. The other appendix sections give master lessons on how to write up results from failed experiments.
    • 4/5
      Although already familiar with the story from Lansing's "Endurance," I still found Shackleton's recounting worthwhile. It is a little slow at the beginning, and quite slow at the end when he describes the travails of the support expedition on the other side of Antarctica. But there is some surprisingly good writing, lots of adventure in an amazing place, insights on leadership. > Three emperor penguins made their appearance in a lead west of the ship on May 3. They pushed their heads through the young ice while two of the men were standing by the lead. The men imitated the emperor's call and walked slowly, penguin fashion, away from the lead. The birds in succession made a magnificent leap 3 ft. clear from the water on to the young ice. Thence they tobogganed to the bank and followed the men away from the lead.